Carton closing machines



Oct. 14, 1958 v H. H. SHAW ETAL 2,855,741

1 CARTON CLOSING MACHINES Filed May 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V ENTOR.

By ATZORNEK9 HUGH H. SHAW MART IN SANDERS ON I HAROLD BRADSHAW Oct. 14,1958 H. H. sHAw ETAL 2,855Q741 CARTON CLOSING MACHINES Filed May 9, 19552 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

HAW

United States Patent 2,855,741 CARTON CLOSING MACHINES Hugh H. Shaw,Martin Irving Sanderson, and Harold Bradshaw, Salinas, Calif., assignorsto Cochran Motors, Salinas, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication May 9, 1955, Serial No. 506,937

7 Claims. (Cl. 53374) This invention relates to closing machinery forcartons, and more particularly to apparatus especially adapted, inconnection with cartons filled with produce, such as lettuce, and thelike, to buttress the side walls of the carton while causing the closureflaps of the carton to be moved to a closed postion for sealing.

The subject apparatus constitutes an improvement over the apparatusdisclosed in a commonly owned co-pending application, Serial Number439,316, filed June 24, 1954. Both the apparatus disclosed in saidco-pending application, and the improved apparatus forming the subjectmatter of the present application are adapted to be embodied in a fieldcrop packing machine of the type which is employed to harvest and packfield produce, such as lettuce.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved cartonclosing apparatus which enables the rapid and efiicient closing of avegetable-filled box or container and at the same time preserves a rightangled relationship of the walls thereof while the container flaps arebeing urged to a closed position and secured in said position.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the typedescribed in which carton wall retaining plate members are movedtogether and into engagement with a pair of oppositely disposed walls ofa container while a pair of carton flap closure means are simultaneouslyoperated to move the flaps to a closed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings formingpart of this specification, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the subject apparatus;

Figure 2 is a disassembly view in perspective of the apparatus of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the apparatus, showing a filledcarton disposed thereon and the parts thereof in their positions priorto the closing operation;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section of the apparatus, illustratingthe parts thereof at the end of the carton closing operation;

Figure 5 is a partial view in end elevation of the apparatus showing thesame after a carton has been closed; and

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the actuating and control systemof the apparatus. a

With reference to the drawings, the apparatus comprises: a pair of basesupports 10 having secured thereto four upstanding and cylindrical postmembers 12; a rectangular frame 14 having integral therewith legs 16which have fixedly secured thereto sleeve elements 18 adapted tobeadjustably secured to posts 12, as by set screws 20; a pair of channelmembers 22 secured to frame 14 at oppositely disposed sides of the topthereof; a plurality of conveyor rollers 24 secured to the channelmembers 22;

and a pair of oppositely disposed carton closing assemblies indicatedgenerally at 26 and 28.

The carton closing assembly 26 comprises a vertically disposed plate 30,a plate 32 having a hinge connection 34 with plate 30, cylindrical postmembers 36 fixedly secured to plate 30, said post members 36 extendinginto sleeve members 38 fixedly secured to frame 14 and being adjustablysecured thereto, as by set screws 40. The plate 30 has also securedthereto a bar 42 which is provided at its lower end with an outwardlydirected ear 44 to which the lower end of a two way acting hydrauliccylinder 46 is pivotally secured, as by pin 48 which extends throughspaced ear members 50 carried by the cylinder and through ear 44. Thepiston rod 52 of the cylinder 46 is pivotally secured, as by pin 54, toan arm 56, said arm having a forked end 58 which is fixedly secured, asby welding, to plate 32.

The carton closing assembly 28 is movable toward and away from cartonclosing assembly 26, said assembly 28 being mounted on a carriageindicated generally at 60 and comprising: a pair of parallel platemembers 62 each provided with a plurality of rollers 64; a transverselydisposed plate member 66 interconnecting the plate members 62; and apair of channel-shaped trackways 68 constituting cross members for frame14 and adapted to receive and support the rollers 64. Carton closingassembly 28 comprises a plate 70, a plate 72 pivotally secured to plateby hinge connection 74, a paid of cylindrical post members 76 fixedlysecured to plate 70 and extending within sleeve members 78 fixedlysecured to plate 66 and adjustably secured therein, as by set screws 80.Plate 70 is further provided with a downwardly extending bar 82 havingan outwardly protruding ear to which spaced cars 84, forming the lowerend of two way acting by draulic cylinder 86, are pivotally secured, asby pin 88. The piston rod of cylinder 86 is pivotally connected, as bypin 92, to arm 94 which is provided with forked end 96, the latter beingfixedly secured to plate 72, as by welding.

Means are provided to cause the carriage 60 to move relative to frame 14and thereby cause the carton closing assembly 28 to move toward and awayfrom carton closing assembly 26, said means comprising a two way actinghydraulic cylinder 98 having end 100 thereof fixedly secured to frame 14and having the piston rod 102 thereof secured, as by pin 104, to an ear106 carried by carriage plate 66.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the rollerconveyor table constituted by roller members 24 and, in fact, all of theparts of the apparatus secured to frame 14, may be vertically adjustedwith respect to the base supports 10; that the assemblies 26 and 28 maybe vertically adjusted with respect to the roller conveyor to adapt theassemblies for use with cartons of varying heights; that the assemblies26 and 28 may be relatively moved toward and away from each other,thereby adapting them for use with cartons of varying widths and formovement into wall-retaining position with respect to these cartons; andthat the plates 32 and 72 of assemblies 26 and 28 may be moved towardeach other and downwardly and upwardly and away from each other; andthat these operational characteristics of the apparatus enable the sidewalls 108 of a carton 110 disposed on the conveyor rollers 24 to bepressed inwardly by plates 30 and 70 against the resistance of produce112 disposed within the container while the closure flaps 114 of thecontainer are forced downwardly by plates 32 and 72 to a closedposition, in which position the flaps 114 are secured, as by staplingmeans, not shown.

The hydraulic control system for the cylinders 46, 86 and 98 is shown inFigure 6. The system is comprised broadly of a power fluid reservoir116, a pump 118, a primary control valve 120 mounted on a base supportand adapted to be operated by foot lever 122, a secondary control valve124 mounted on the underside of frame. 14 and having a slidable, controlmember 126. The control member 126 for valve 124 extends through ahanger sleeve 128 carried by the carriage 60, said control member 126being provided with a flanged end 130 which serves to connect the memberto the carriage 60 for movement therewith in one direction, and saidcontrol member 126 being provided with a collar 132 and having a spring134 sleeved thereon between the collar and the hanger sleeve 128,whereby movement of the carriage 60 inwardly of the frame 14 causes adelayed yielding movement in the other direction of the control member126.

The pump 118 is disposed in flow delivery relation to both valve 12%)and valve 124 through conduit 136, while sump 116 is disposed in flowreceiving relation to the two valves through conduit 138. Valve 120 isdisposed in both flow delivery and flow receiving relation with each endof cylinder 98 through conduits 140 and 142. Valve 124 is provided witha pair of T fittings 144 and 146, with fitting 144 being disposed inboth flow delivery and flow receiving relation with the upper ends ofcylinders 46 and 86 through condiuts 148 and 150, and with fitting 146being disposed in both flow delivery and flow receiving relation to thelower ends of cylinders 46 and 86 through conduits 152 and 154.

When the foot pedal 122 is depressed, valve 120 is actuated to connectconduits 136 and 142 through the valve and to conduits 138 and 140,thereby causing the piston rod 102 of cylinder 98 to be moved inwardlyof the cylinder and to roll the carriage 60 inwardly of frame 14.Movement of the carriage inwardly effects a delayed movement inwardly ofthe control member 126 of valve 124 through the spring and collarconnection 134 and 132. Such movement inwardly of control member 126effects a connection between conduit 136 and fitting 146 through valve124, thus admitting fluid to the lower ends of cylinders 46 and 86through conduits 152 and 154 and causing piston rods 52 and 90 to bemoved outwardly to move the carton flap closure plates 32 and 72 fromthe position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4.

When the carton closing operation has been accomplished, release of thefoot pedal 122 actuates valve 120 to connect therethrough conduits 136and 140 and to connect conduits 138 and 142, thus eflecting outwardmovement of piston rod 102 and consequent outward movement of carriage60 toward the Figure 3 position. Engagement between hanger sleeve 128and the flanged end 130 of the control member 126 of valve 124 impartsan outward movement to the control member 126, thereby actuating valve124 to connect conduit 136 with fitting 144 and to connect conduit 138with fitting 146. The piston rods 52 and 90 are thereby positivelyretracted to the Figure 3 position to return the flap closure plates 32and 72 to rest position.

It will be noted that the carton side presser plates 30 and 70 areprovided adjacent their upper ends with facing strips 156 havingdownwardly and outwardly inclined surface portions 158. As will beapparent from Figure 4, these strips 156 bow the upper ends of the sidesof the carton 110 inwardly without imparting any damage to the carton.When the carton flaps 114 are then secured in, place, as by stapling,the side walls 108 of the carton are under tension after the carton isremoved from the machine, and this tension enhances the firmness of theside walls against the tendency of the produce 112 to bulge themoutwardly.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all substantial equivalentsthereof are considered to be within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising a support frame,horizontally disposed roller conveyor means mounted on said framewhereby a filled carton may be moved onto and off of said frame, a pairof oppositely and vertically disposed carton side presser plates carriedby said frame and extending above said conveyor, at least one of saidplates being attached to said frame for translational movement towardand away from the other of said plates, a pair of oppositely disposedcarton flap presser plates pivotally attached to the upper ends of saidcarton side presser plates for movement downwardly and toward each otherand upwardly and away from each other, and means for first moving saidmovable carton side presser plate toward the other of said side presserplates and for moving said fiap presser plates downwardly and towardeach other and for then moving said movable carton side presser plateaway from the other of said plates and for moving said flap presserplates upwardly and away from each other.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 comprising, further, means foradjustably raising and lowering said side presser plates with respect tosaid conveyor means whereby the apparatus may be adapted for use withcartons of varying sizes.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said movable side presser platebeing mounted on a carriage rollably supported by said support frame,with said means for moving said pairs of plates comprising a two wayacting hydraulic cylinder having one end secured to said frame and theother end secured to said carriage, and a two way acting hydrauliccylinder pivotally attached to each of said side presser plates andhaving lever arm connections with said flap presser plates.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 comprising, further, a hydraulicsystem for the operation of said cylinders including a sump, a pump,conduits to interconnect said pump withsaid cylinders and tointerconnect said cylinders with said sump, a manually operable controlvalve to selectively connect one of the ends of said frame and carriageconnected cylinder with said pump and the other end of said cylinderwith said sump, and a second control valve carried by said frame andactuated by said carriage to selectively connect alike ends of said pairof cylinders to said pump and the other ends of said cylinders to saidsump.

5. Apparatus of the type described comprising a support frame,horizontally disposed roller conveyor means mounted on the top of saidframe for movement of a filled carton onto and off of said frame, avertically disposed carton side presser plate secured to one side ofsaid frame, a second and alike carton side presser plate oppositelydisposed to said first mentioned plate, a carriage for said second plateslidably mounted in said support frame whereby said second plate may bemoved toward and away from said first mentioned plate, and means formoving said carriage comprising a two way acting hydraulic cylinderhaving one end secured to said frame and the other end secured to saidcarriage.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, including means for verticallyadjusting said plates relative to said conveyor means.

7. In apparatus of the type described, frame means adapted to support acarton, a vertically disposed plate disposed at one side of said framemeans and connected thereto for adjustable movement upwardly anddownwardly, a carton flap presser plate pivotally connected to the upperend of said vertically disposed plate, a two way acting hydrauliccylinder carried at the outside of said vertically disposed plate, thelower end of said cylinder having a pivotal attachment with saidvertically disposed plate, and the upper end of said cylinder beingpivotally connected to an arm member which is fixedly secured to saidflap presser plate, and means for actuating said cylinder to pivot saidflap presser plate to a carton flap closing position and to reverselypivot said plate to a rest position, said means including flexible powerfluid conduits connected to said cylinder, whereby said cylinder may bemoved upwardly and downwardly with said vertically disposed plate duringadjustable movement of the latter without disturbing the connectionsbetween said cylinder and conduits.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FalesDec. 24, 1901 Barrett Jan. 5, 1937 Moore Sept. 13, 1949 Genco et al.June 2, 1953 Sawyer et a1. July 5, 1955 Wright et al. Aug. 9, 1955

